Will crochet be the only way? Crochet experts please!

I love crocheting more than knitting. It is very forgiving and as said earlier if you need to undo, no worries about dropped stitches. I’ve made a blanket for each of my 8 grandchildren and thoughout lockdown I have been using up odd wool and making squares which I am crocheting together as I go along. I use a treble stitch to join them. Happy crocheting - I find it very relaxing. ??

Oh, thanks Auntieflo
I was going to do a search for Rufus's thread.

Incidentally, has anyone heard from him lately?

Just to be clear, my blanket isn’t going to be even-sized squares, it’s going to be several long ‘patchwork’ strips consisting of different coloured/ different sized squares and rectangles. But all the same width.

Many thanks for that, StatenIsland, I might well try that first.

https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/202103/medium-662690-1b32ae2a-85aa-4201-b7de-205d8b885ee7.png%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/202103/medium-982823-df078e90-2230-4f0b-838d-f327c597ac6d.png%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/202103/medium-312645-37581ee8-99da-49ae-9b57-26bdd48c2490.png%3C/span%3E

Callistemon, did you learn how to slow down a You Tube tutorial?
I took some screen shots if you need them on how to ; you will have to click on each picture to enlarge it a bit.

See the 3 little dots, top right corner. Click on those.
Then choose the play back speed that is best for you.
Next, click on that speed, and away you go.

If your squares are different sizes I would suggest joining them with a slip stitch or double crochet with two or three chain stitches between.
Here is a link to a helpful tutorial.
Hope you manage it successfully.

Crochet is much easier than knitting so if you can knit I’m sure you can crochet ! Basically you just knot round the hook stick it in what you’re joining then pass the wool lover the hook and pull it through the layers !!there’s loads on YouTube they do waffle on at the start about the wool they’re using but you can easily rewind the main bits you need after that .Happy crocheting !

I made a blanket of squares and crocheted them all together, giving a slightly raised effect between each square. Then I crocheted all around the border, to bring it all together.
Picture is of youngest DGS trying it out for size. He is now 7.

Oh, sorry, didn't realise that you wanted that effect of a 'separating strip', so yes, crochet will work well.

Witzend

I do agree, Liz46, though I did find one earlier who didn’t waffle on and on before getting down to it.
What’s the title of the book you found please?

My chain is now about 10 inches, so I think I’m more or less getting the hang of the very basics.

Crochet, patterns, techniques, stitches, inspiration. It says octopus books on the back. I've had it quite a long time but there are plenty of cheap books about if you can get into a shop!

Good reply * StatenIsland*
I have used crochet to join crocheted granny squares, not tried it with knitted squares.
Why not try it Witzend, it will be easy to unpick.
Don't quite understand the thin border part of your question, can you post a photograph?

No it won't look a mess. In the video, Roxanne joins different colour pieces.

Another way to join (and if you'd like a uniform border round each strip) would be to pick up and knit garter edges along or even around the strips. Check out Staci Perry (VeryPinkKnits) and her video on joining log cabin squares.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeAFAuqTkl4

Crochet will work but remember that crochet creates a stiffer fabric than knitting. Even a slip stitch or US single (UK double) crochet join and can create tension issues especially with a softer, drapey garter stitch.

Experimenting with a couple of practice pieces sounds like a good idea.

Re sewing the strips together, given that the adjacent squares are never going to be the same colour, won’t it look a mess? That’s why I thought an actual border in crochet would look better.
Perhaps I should knit a couple of practice pieces and try joining on the wrong side.

@Witzend

No need to crochet if you don't want to.

Try Roxanne Richardson's YouTube video explaining the sewn flat seam join.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QShSGekn_Fo

I do agree, Liz46, though I did find one earlier who didn’t waffle on and on before getting down to it.
What’s the title of the book you found please?

My chain is now about 10 inches, so I think I’m more or less getting the hang of the very basics.

Also the good thing about crochet is you can just undo it and not worry about picking up dropped stitches. Best to have a play around with a few techniques, hard to show on here how to do it.

Crochet in itself is very easy, but using it to join up strips is I think, more awkward than just simple stitches - I make blankets for the homeless from crochet squares but join them with simple stitching.
Use a sort of running stitch: line up your knitting, don't knot the wool - leave a trailing end to weave in later - stitch from one strip to the next, then move one stitch along on the same strip, and run the stitch over to the other strip. I call it U-&-run. Keep it fairly loose.

Yes, you can use crochet to join.
The bigger the stitch, the bigger the join/wall

You can also sew panels together with the same yarn you use to knit them

Unrelated to this post - the items from Hooked on Sunshine are gorgeous and easy to crochet - a joy to make

Why is it that people get on there and just talk. Get on with showing me how to do it please! Rant over.
It's like some recipes!

Just pages of utter waffle before you get to the list of ingredients and what to do with them.

I've checked out a couple of videos. I think I know how to cast on, but not much more.
I prefer a book, like Liz46. Thanks for the idea.

YouTube tutorials!
I just stopped and started the video as I fumbled through but I'm sure a poster (Rufus?) told us how to slow down a YouTube video.

That's how I learnt to crochet a couple of years ago, Witzend
although I've not yet looked at how to join knitted squares.

It is very easy to learn how to crochet. I bought a cheap book from The Works and still return to it from time to time to remind myself of the different stitches. Youtube should be good although it's so slow, it drives me round the bend.

Why is it that people get on there and just talk. Get on with showing me how to do it please! Rant over.

Hi I can knit and crochet mostly baby things and blankets. I prefer knitting but have often crocheted around a knitted blanket to make it look more fancy. Yes you can join knitted squares by crocheting them together. Have a practice and try out different ideas, perhaps join all the squares and crochet round the finished blanket in the same colour.

I can’t help with crochet, although I know several people who have managed to learn crochet with just a little practice.

However, there is another method which you can google (if it’s not too late for you), where you can knit blanket squares without having to sew up. Literally you pick up stitches down the square you have knitted and knit another square, and so on. The method is on Utube or Pinterest.

I can't answer your questions, sorry, but I'm just about to embark into the crochet world. The wool I ordered has arrived but the crochet hooks haven't.
Good luck with your lovely sounding blanket.